The Reverse Elimination Plan
by victoria-kat
Summary: After spending her 26th birthday eating her cake alone, Hermione decides to take the matter in her own hands. Since she's single & practically "out of the market", what better place to look than her 4 past flings? A plan is set up to evaluate the pros & cons of Hermione's past dates & eventually select the best candidate via the reverse elimination method.But which are the options?


\- Chapter One -

Summary: After spending her 26th birthday eating her cake alone, Hermione decides to take the matter in her own hands. Since she's single & practically "out of the market", what better place to look than her 4 past flings? A plan is set up to evaluate the pros & cons of Hermione's past dates & eventually select the best candidate via the reverse elimination method. _BUT_ , which are the options?

a/n: Read, enjoy and leave a review please!

xxx

For the years to come, Hermione Granger would always remember her 26th birthday as one of the biggest disasters ever.

Had it not been her birthday, it would have been just like any other day in her daily routine. It was a Friday and on Fridays Hermione Granger would wake up around half past six in the morning, take a shower, have some coffee, review her notes and get dressed for work. At eight o'clock at the dot, she would always open her office's door and check her to-do list for the day. She would work consequently until two o'clock and then she would have her lunch break for the next twenty minutes. During her break, as a creature of habit, she would either have a sandwich and some tea at the cafeteria, or she would arrange a short catch-up meeting with one of her friends at the Three Broomsticks.

Then, at three o' clock in the Fridays she would be called for a meeting with her boss to do the overview of the week. Those meetings technically dragged until six o' clock in the afternoon, draining her energy and making her eager to leave work and start her weekend; though, being Hermione, she would never leave work before eight, so as to be prepared as much as possible for the week to come.

Well today, was not in the least bit different. She did all of the above, one thing after the other, until her lunch break time, during which she had arranged to meet Ginny Weasley – or better Potter – at Hogsmeade.

She set off to find her friend quickly in order to have more time ahead to catch-up with her. When she finally reached the venue, Ginny was already seated on a table, nursing a green salad and Hermione's usual order was already waiting there as well.

"Ginny you're an angel, really" she said hugging her best friend before taking her seat on the opposite site of the table.

"Well happy birthday to you Hermione!" Ginny replied and grinned.

"Wow, someone remembered? I thought I had miscalculated the days today since nobody said a thing."

"Really? Not even Malfoy?"

"Why would specifically Malfoy remember my birthday date?" she asked somewhat defensive.

"Woah there, take it easy Mione! I was just saying since he is your boss now and you two are on good terms at last."

"Well don't. Malfoy is being strictly professional and I'm very thankful for that."

"Okay okay, point taken. How was your day otherwise? We haven't spoken since last Tuesday. How have you been?"

"Mostly busy with work, really I don't have any news Ginny. I had been working over a new bunch of ingredients the past fortnight but no mentionable results as of yet."

"I didn't ask about work you silly; I was referring to the personal staff… Any developments there?" the redhead asked with hope. Her and Harry had been happily married for almost two years and Ginny's biggest dream for now, was for Hermione to get married soon, so as to have children about the same age to go to Hogwarts together.

Hermione shook her head in surrender. "Ginny I've told you so many times that this isn't the right timing for me to get involved in a relationship. I literally have no time to start something new."

"How about restarting something old? I heard Cormac is single again."

"Well I'm not interested. Cormac belongs in the past and you better let this matter drop. It is my birthday and it isn't supposed to be miserable. How's Harry?"

Ginny sighed at the change of subject.

"Harry's fine, as far as I know. He has been on an Auror mission for the past three days and he's coming back tomorrow. He said to pass you his wishes, though I imagine he'd be sending you an owl or something later, which also reminds me I got you a gift."

"Ginny you shouldn't…"

"Oh hush and open it already" she urged, glaring at the package in Hermione's hands.

A copy of the _Tales of Beetle the Bard_ , translated in ancient Greek was resting inside the package and Hermione's grin became wider.

"This is only one part of the gift really; just open the first page, will you?"

She did as she was told and a white folder with a red and gold ribbon fell from the book quietly in her lap. She opened it only to be suddenly disappointed at the content, which she tried very hard to hide.

It was a double invitation to attend the second anniversary of Ginny's wedding as her maid of honor – yet again – and while she was extremely happy for her friend, she felt her heart sink in her chest. Why did these invitations always had to come as a double? Why couldn't she attend the event without having the anxiety to search for a single male friend to accompany her?

"Ginny that's wonderful! I hadn't realized it was so soon, but of course it is next week, how silly of me! Congratulations!" she hugged again her friend trying to hide her face and her expression.

"It does seem indeed so soon! I remember the wedding day as if it was yesterday and it's been already two years! The best years of my life…" she said and her face held a dreamy expression.

"I'm really happy for you Gin!"

"I know, I know! But you do know what would make me even happier right? I know things haven't worked very well with you and Theo but I hope you'll come out of your shell and date again. Harry has been telling me that it is about time we tried for a young Potter and I believe he is right, but you know that I want you to be at the same page with me as well!"

"Gin please don't insist on that matter. You should do as you and Harry feel and not let yourself delay something so important just because you get attached to me. As for things not having worked well between me and Theo, this is the understatement of the year. If the next guy I meet happens to cheat on me with Lavender Brown, I swear, I'll go rot in a monastery or something!"

"Guys are daft, well at least most of them, my brother included. If you'd only let me arrange a blind date for you-"

"Ginny no, I insist!"

"Alright, alright it's no use getting riled up on your birthday. Let's finish this meal; it's almost time for you to go back to work. We can meet during the weekend if you could?"

"I'll call you and let you know. Thanks for coming today Gin. And for the present of course, both of them." She smiled up at the younger witch.

"Happy Birthday Mione."

xxx

"Granger are you following me or what?" Draco Malfoy said impatiently while pacing around at the meeting office.

"I'm sorry what?"

She saw him get visibly tensed and prepared herself for the scolding that was about to come. Yes they were on friendly terms the last 3 months that she was his employee, having overcome the "dislike" of their childhood years and apparently the issue of her blood status. War had changed things once and for all, and at least for Draco Malfoy, they seemed to have changed for the best. But that didn't mean that he didn't get authorative and bossy anymore. Especially when she gave him a reason.

"What's wrong with you Granger? Apparently your mind has been elsewhere since you stepped your foot in my door today, why's that?" he demanded glaring at her in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I just… I seem to be a bit tired that's all."

"So no bad news from the Weaslette?"

"What? No! Of course not. And please don't call her that."

"Obviously your tet-a-tet has you worrying about something since you came back from lunch. What is it? Spill it out Granger" he mocked.

"Well if you must know next week Ginny and Harry are celebrating their second wedding anniversary."

He snorted.

"And? Don't tell me that you suddenly realized that your feelings about Potter are not as platonic as you thought?"

"Oh shut up Malfoy. It's just that, as a maid of honor, I'm supposed to bring a date there and as you already know, your old friend Theo, is after Lavender Brown these days, so that leaves me alone, okay? I was just wondering how catastrophic would it be if I showed up on my own, but I'll stop now and we can concentrate on work".

"Now this is rather interesting. What do you mean Nott is after Brown? Did he dumb you for her?"

"Really? Throw some more salt in the wounds Malfoy." She mocked him back. "It's all I need for this day to become even worse, especially today..."

"Why's today special? Was it an anniversary of some sort?" he inquired.

"No, never mind let's finish with business. Martha from the Labs insists that the quality of the ingredients our supplier sent over is really low and that's why we have not seen any results so far. I didn't want to believe her at first, but on closer inspection I do think she's right."

"So what do you propose?"

"The only way I see at this point is to change suppliers. We really must bring this potion in the market first."

"Seeing as Hogwarts' supplies – which happen to be the best out there- go directly to our competitor, that sodding Hopkins, what else is there left?"

"Hogwarts may produce the best potion ingredients as an organization but I actually had someone in mind who is the best herbologist individual I've ever known."

"Do tell Granger, I'm all ears on whom that person is."

"You do actually know him. Neville Longbottom."

He scoffed.

She smirked.

xxx

The meeting finished with Malfoy throwing a fit at the prospect of cooperating with Neville and relying for their ingredients on his "clumsy, inadequate hands" as he so eloquently put it. Hermione, having deciphered and decoded Malfoy's reactions and moods over time, agreed to drop the subject temporarily but she really knew that it was just a matter of time before Malfoy would compromise and ask to see Neville in his office for an interview. She was fully confident that Neville's herbology skills were brilliant, but she knew that he wouldn't survive being interviewed by Draco, who would humiliate and degrade him with every chance, so she would have to find a way to skip this step in the process.

She decided that everything else could wait until Monday, so she hurriedly left the office and rushed home in hopes of getting some rest and maybe hearing from a friend or two wishing her for her birthday. Upon arriving home, she resolved to order some pizza, so she called the delivery service and made her order. Nothing peculiar or strange with that, until one hour had passed and her delivery had yet to arrive. So, she decided to call them again and ask them about it.

Hermione would never suspect that people in the pizza shop could be so rude and crude to their customers, that they would call her _that_ when referring to her address whilst actually knowing that she was on the other side of the line overhearing.

" _What's the status of Granger's delivery?"_

" _Who is that? What's the address?"_

" _It's the spinster's house; just get on with it alright!"_

xxx

Having ended up eating the birthday cake Luna sent her and crying her eyes out all weekend long, it was no wonder that Monday found her with bags under her puffy eyes or very moody and silently brooding.

Hermione had already started working at half past 8 am and when around 9 o' clock someone peered through her door and interrupted her, she started preparing a tell off until she saw that it was her boss at the door.

"Already fully immersed in her tasks." he commenting slightly smirking. "I'm worried I'll have to raise your salary eventually, for such dedication to your work."

"Ha-Ha." she scoffed. "Good morning to you too."

He pretended to be surprised.

"What's got your knickers in a twist Granger?"

"Will you stop that, there's nothing wrong anyway."

"…says the woman with full dark circles under her eyes. Is it about the Potter-Weaslette event again? If I knew you'd be like that all weekend, I would offer you to take you myself…" he mocked, however Hermione's eyes darted up at once.

There it was; a valid opportunity, an albeit not so willing offer, but was it really worse sticking to that than getting to the wedding all alone and miserable?

"You would?" she inclined "Well how very fortunate Malfoy, I accept your offer!" she rushed to take the chance should it disappear at the spot.

He somehow managed to sneer and smirk at the same time. "You know that wasn't an actual offer right?"

"It wasn't? It seemed pretty valid to me." She smiled ostensibly innocently.

"It seemed valid huh? Then it would be dishonorable for me to take it back…"

She was shocked but she didn't answer; she was really curious to see where this was going.

"So? Saturday at 9 o' clock?"

Either because he was intrigued to participate in that for some reason or because he just pitied her; Malfoy had agreed on accompanying her to the event. A fact that her mind couldn't fathom or comprehend. However, she nodded in agreement to his question and prayed that this wouldn't be any kind of the former pranks he had played on her expense. She comforted herself by remembering that inviting him was solely her idea.

After all, she supposed only Saturday would tell.

xxx

a/n: Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, so please proceed to leave a comment!


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